Latest Headlines from Cybergrass

Saturday, March 7th, 2015, at 7:30 p.m. the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert by the Hillbilly Gypsies. Admission to the concert is $10 for adults, $1 for children 6 to 11, under age 6 free. The Hillbilly Gypsies are a West Virginia native string band who specialize in playing their own homegrown style of Appalachian old time music, mixed with a hard drivin’ bluegrass sound. In addition to their original material, the Hillbilly Gypsies play a mix of traditional bluegrass and catchy old fiddle tunes. They are best appreciated at a live show.

The Gypsies perform in the old fashioned style, around a single microphone. Their show has the feel of a barn dance, and it transports you back in time. One thing’s for sure – you’ll want to get up and dance. They’ve been a group for over ten years, and they have played at many national festivals, concert halls, and theaters.

Formed from a chance meeting in 2001 in Morgantown, West Virginia, they have been pickin’ and grinnin’ ever since. Trae Buckner and Jamie Lynn Buckner, Jason Teel, Ty Jaquay, and Dave Asti are the members of the group. Trae is featured on guitar and vocals. Jamie Lynn does both lead and harmony vocals. Jason does the bass fiddling for the group. Dave Asti plays banjo, and Ty does the fiddling. The Hillbilly Gypsies truly are a close knit family, mindful of tradition but boldly exploring new styles of acoustic music.

For an evening of unforgettable old time, bluegrass, and traditional music; come out and see the Hillbilly Gypsies at the Carter Family Fold. Don’t forget to bring along your dancing shoes. Their gospel tunes are reminiscent of the old time tent meetings, and there will be music to suit everyone’s taste. Be prepared for an evening of high-energy, no holes barred family fun! The Gypsies have become a Carter Family Fold favorite. To learn more about the Hillbilly Gypsies, go to their site at: http://thehillbillygypsies.com/.

Carter Family Memorial Music Center, Incorporated, is a nonprofit, rural arts organization established to preserve traditional, acoustic, mountain music. For further information on the center, go to http://www.carterfamilyfold.org. Shows from the Carter Family Fold can be accessed on the internet at http://www.carterfoldshow.com.

Carter Music Center is part of the Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail. You can visit the Crooked Road Music Trail site at http://thecrookedroad.org. Partial funding for programs at the center is provided by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. For recorded information on shows coming up at the Fold, call 276-386-6054. The Fold is on Facebook – page Carter Fold – and Twitter – @carterfoldinfo.

Owensboro, Ky., -- The International Bluegrass Music Museum will host a film screening and open discussion Wednesday, March 11, with Kentucky film maker Morgan Atkinson, for his latest project, The Many Storeys and Last Days of Thomas Merton.

Thomas Merton was an American Catholic writer, mystic and Trappist monk of the Abbey of Gethsemani, Kentucky. A poet, social activist, and student of comparative religion, Merton wrote more than 70 books, mostly on spirituality, social justice and a quiet pacifism, as well as scores of essays and reviews. Among Merton's most enduring works is his bestselling autobiography The Seven Storey Mountain (1948), which sent scores of World War II veterans, students, and even teenagers flocking to monasteries across the US.

The Many Storeys and Last Days of Thomas Merton is the story of Merton in the last year of his life, embarking on his greatest journey. It's a story of adventure and search that takes the viewer from his home at the Abbey of Gethsemani, across America in the turbulent year of 1968 and finally to Asia for meetings with the Dalai Lama and other spiritual seekers. The purpose of the journey, as always with Merton, was to seek a fuller union with God. He believed serving as a bridge between west and east was one way in which his call could be lived out. The Many Storeys and Last Days of Thomas Merton celebrates the triumph of all that was gained by his journey, reflects on the tragedy of what was lost with his death and considers why Merton's life and work challenges us today.

The producer Morgan Atkinson is a documentary producer based in Louisville, KY. In a career spanning more than 30 years he has focused on people or groups seeking meaning through a spiritual search. His earlier work on Thomas Merton entitled Soul Searching: The Journey of Thomas Merton was aired nationally on PBS in 2007. He has produced feature-length documentaries focusing on other aspects of spiritual seekers titled Gethsemani, Poetry of a Soul: A Monk's Story and Uncommon Vision: The Life and Times of John Howard Griffin.

The International Bluegrass Music Museum is located at 117 Daviess Street. Doors open at 6:30 pm, the film begins at 7:00 pm, followed by a Q&A with Morgan Atkinson. Tickets are $10 each and are available online (www.bluegrassmuseum.org) or by calling the Museum - 270-926-7891.

DCBU president Randy Barrett presented the 2015 Washington Monument Award to Ben Eldridge, banjo player of the Seldom Scene, during their amazing performance at the DCBU Bluegrass Festival last Friday night, February 27 2015. The award honors his 40 years of bluegrass as a founding and continuing member of the Seldom Scene.

Ben Eldridge was born in Richmond, Virginia. He began playing the guitar at age ten and later in 1954 the banjo. In 1957, he began his studies at the University of Virginia at Charlottesville. Four years later he moved to Adelphi, Maryland. Eldridge became acquainted with Bill Keith and Bill Emerson who were to become two major banjo picking influences in his life.

Eldridge has played on all Seldom Scene albums, and his discography includes 55 albums. Eldridge contributed to solo albums by Mike Auldridge and Phil Rosenthal (who had succeeded John Starling), and he and other members of The Seldom Scene famously backed Linda Ronstadt in a few numbers on her early, more country-flavored albums.+

In June 1970, Eldridge joined "Cliff Waldron and his New Shades of Grass". Eldridge was among five musicians who started playing in the fall of 1971 with mandolinist John Duffey, Dobro player Mike Auldridge, bassist Tom Gray and guitar and lead singer John Starling. They would ultimately be known as The Seldom Scene. By early 1972 they had a weekly gig at Bethesda, Maryland's Red Fox Inn that stretched for six years. Later they moved the weekly performance to Thursday's at the Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia, just across the Potomac River.

One of the founding members, banjo player Eldridge, has been with The Seldom Scene since its inception, November 2, 1971, and he still performs with the same fire and enthusiasm that characterized the band's early days as a progressive group that took Bluegrass music to new heights. Ben is also well loved for his scat singing on fan favorite, "Lay Down Sally".

Teachers and Home School Parents of Central Kentucky are invited to a very special half-day seminar Saturday April 25th from 1:00 until 4:30pm to explore how to help your students learn a true appreciation for the art of music and how it positively affects their lives, families, friends and community. As a leader in the arts, don't miss this opportunity to bring excitement, enjoyment and learning to your classrooms. For FREE. This is a very special one day seminar to explore this topic and sample the new WoodSongs Classroom project for your students. The WoodSongs Arts & Music Seminar will be held in the Duthie Theater in the Anne Hart Raymond Building on the campus of beautiful Midway College in Midway, KY (20 minutes from Lexington).

The day will include lectures, discussions, music performances by incredible youngsters (you will be awestruck!) Learn how to use the WoodSongs Classroom project and associated lesson plans (middle, high school and college) and how to launch a School Music Series, an actual in-school WoodSongs Coffeehouse plus a showing of the film Walden: The Ballad of Thoreau.

Visit the Classroom Page at WoodSongs.com for more information. You can register now for your free tickets(s) to the seminar. Any middle, high, private, college teacher and home school parent may attend. We will have plenty of inspiration, music, refreshments and fun. This event is free to teachers. The 435 tickets are first come, first served. Nothing is being sold the day of the event.

Teachers will enjoy performances by several youngsters ... fiddle, banjo, guitar and more. Lecturers will include Michael Johnathon, Dr. Ron Pen (University of Kentucky), Raymond McLain Director of the Kentucky School of Traditional Music at Morehead State University and many more to show how to bring the "front porch" into classrooms, how to use the WoodSongs Classroom Project for students, how to start an in-school WoodSongs Music Series ... plus a showing of the Walden Play movie. The event begins at 1PM sharp, drinks and refreshments (all free) will be available to our attendees.

We live among the first generation in human history that explores most of their art and music as a flat screen, two dimension event. Think of it - they are emailed an MP3 from a friend, they Google the band, YouTube the band, iTunes the band, download the band ... and they're done. The loss of organic, honest, front porch, three-dimensional art and music affects how students live, learn, feel, grow and interact with their community, fellow students, family ... and their future. It's a fact: our two-dimensional, flat screen cyber world has created the most isolated generation in human history. We want to help caring teachers and home school parents change that.

Springer Mountain Farms has June and July at the world famous Ryman Auditorium packed with Thursday night bluegrass as they once again present Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman. This annual fare of bluegrass music is just the thing to make summers hotter than ever. This year, the lineup if fully loaded with some of the finest in the genre.

The Springer Mountain Farms Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman 2015 concert series kicks off on June 25 with Grammy® award artist, singer-songwriter and Country Music Hall of Fame member Vince Gill. The annual Red, White and Bluegrass show on July 2 will see the Del McCoury Band with Sierra Hull. Hot Rize and the Gibson Brothers fire up the stage on July 9th followed by bluegrass favorites Dailey & Vincent July 16th. Robert Earl Keen with The SteelDrivers entertain on July 23rd with the Grand Finale July 30th with Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder.

The annual series has taken place for more than two decades, featuring the very best in bluegrass. CMA Air Personality of the Year award winner Eddie Stubbs will once again host each shows in this year's series.

Especially important to the history of the Ryman is its significant role in the history of bluegrass music. Although Bill Monroe had been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1939, it wasn't until a Saturday night in December of 1945 when bluegrass music as we know it today was born when a twenty-one year old young man by the name of Earl Scruggs stepped up to the WSM microphone on the Ryman stage playing the five-string banjo with a three-finger roll. This was the final ingredient in what we now know as bluegrass music.

The inaugural Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman series took place in 1994 at the then newly renovated Ryman Auditorium. The first show featured the father of bluegrass himself, Bill Monroe, and the angelic Alison Krauss. Over the last twenty plus years, the series has become a Nashville summertime tradition as it regularly presents the biggest names in bluegrass on the very stage where the genre was born back in 1945.

Each program takes place on Thursday nights at 7:30 PM at the world famous Ryman auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. Tickets are just $28.50 per concert and available at http://ryman.com/bluegrass

Nashville, TN -- Bluegrass/Americana sensation Nu-Blu are pleased to announce their participation in the inaugural online Bluegrass Roundup on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 6pm EST. They will be performing a special one-hour set, which features every song from their latest album, All The Way. This first-of-its-kind Bluegrass festival will stream the show online HERE. The spectacle is sponsored by JCD Property Management in conjunction with the California Bluegrass Association.

"We've built our career around taking chances and doing new innovative things" said an excited Carolyn Routh. "I hope fans around the world will tune in and be a part of this."

Based on tip amounts, fans will receive the following merchandise:

$10 tip - D/L of All The Way album via iDitty

$20 tip - D/L and signed physical copy of All The Way album

$40 tip - D/L and signed physical copy of All The Way + signed tour poster

Nu-Blu's latest album All The Way was released in Sept. 2014, and spent three weeks inside the top 10 of the Billboard Bluegrass Albums chart. Fueled by its first single "Jesus and Jones," with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame icon Sam Moore, the dynamic pairing performed the song on Huckabee, Imus in the Morning, and The Ronnie Reno Show. Also, their current song "That's What Makes the Bluegrass Blue" with Bluegrass favorite Rhonda Vincent is currently #1 on Sirius-XM Bluegrass Junction's Most-Played Tracks for the month of February.

California Bluegrass Association (CBA) is a California Non-Profit Corporation which was founded in 1975 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The CBA is dedicated to the furtherance of Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Gospel Music in California. The Articles of Incorporation further state that the organization is formed to promote, encourage, foster, and cultivate the preservation, appreciation, understanding, enjoyment, support, and performance of traditional instrumental and vocal music of the United States.

Nu-Blu, based in Siler City in central North Carolina, is comprised of Carolyn, who handles bass and vocals; Levi Austin on vocals and banjo; Austin Koerner, on mandolin; and Daniel, who is the band's Renaissance Man - guitarist, singer, manager, and tour coordinator, among many other roles. The group brings its lively and entertaining version of Americana-bluegrass music to audiences across the nation year-round. Their sound acknowledges the traditional institutions that have shaped it, yet is innovative and daring enough to bring a fresh sparkle to contemporary acoustic music that lands them squarely in the forefront of bands blazing the trail in acoustic entertainment. Influences range from the sounds of original bluegrass pioneers like Earl Scruggs, Jimmy Martin and Lester Flatt to rock bands of the 1980's, and modern contemporary sounds such as Alison Krauss and Union Station. Carolyn's soprano vocal approach might be described as similar to Ms. Krauss, except she carries a phrasing and emotional elegance that shows a clear originality. Daniel and Levi provide inventive singing to fill out the vocal sound, while all four members present instrumental prowess to impress.

Nashville, TN --- NewTown has inked a new business relationship with Moonstruck Management, the booking and management firm that handles stellar bluegrass acts including Dr. Ralph Stanley, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out and Lonesome River Band. The dynamic NewTown band from Lexington, KY is led by gifted fiddler and singer, Kati Penn-Williams and husband, Jr. Williams. NewTown is a dynamic band that delivers a truly creative musical blend of the traditional and the modern in its acoustic artistry.

The NewTown sound harkens back to that now legendary time in the mid-1970’s when a “Newgrass” sound resonated within the walls of Lexington’s Red Slipper Lounge. It was the sound of J.D. Crowe and The New South and it changed the complexion and direction of Bluegrass forever. NewTown takes its inspiration from that era, and its name from the road that led to the Red Slipper Lounge.

NewTown also includes Clint Hurd on vocals and mandolin, and Tony Mowell on guitar and vocals. Together with Kati and Jr., these artists deftly combine varied musical influences into a fresh and exhilarating sound. It is a sound that shines on the recent Time Machine album (Pisgah Ridge Records) which continues to excel on airplay charts. The song, "All I Was To You" was the #9 most played song in 2014 according to the Bluegrass Today Year End Chart.

Bands like NewTown are not by any means common; they’re not made every day. It takes sweat equity, passion, patience and vision.”
—John E. Cowan

The NewTown sound did not escape the discerning ear of visionary entrepreneur, Josh Trivett, owner of Moonstruck Management.

"We are so excited to add Newtown to our roster,” Trivett says. "My attention was first caught by their newest CD and particularly the ‘Dublin Blues’ track. After studying their music further and then meeting Jr. and Kati, I decided they were a great fit for our roster. I’m looking forward to the future with Newtown!"

Nashville, TN -- In spite of the worst snow and ice storm the southern states have seen in decades, Darin and Brooke Aldridge have debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard Bluegrass Albums Chart with their sixth new release, Snapshots. A flurry of promotional activity had been planned for release week, but instead a flurry of ice and snow found the Aldridge's and their band stranded somewhere between Nashville and Asheville on I-40 when the storm hit. They were forced to cancel a number of appearances and events, including the world renowned Station Inn and WSM Radio.

Husband and wife duo Darin & Brooke Aldridge draw on the traditions of their native North Carolina, the savvy of a young, gifted band and their own dedication to ingenuity to create the most mature release of their career.

The duo has placed at the top of the charts on Americana/Roots, SiriusXM, Bluegrass and Gospel charts. They have received multiple nominations from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America (SPGBMA) and Inspirational Country Music (ICM). The music video “Wildflower” is being featured on CMT and CMT Edge and GAC. Their TV appearances include PBS, Great American Gospel, The Bluegrass Road, Presley’s Country Jubilee, RFD-TV, Rural-TV, Daystar Network, Blue Highways TV, Song of the Mountains and Music City Roots.

Still, fans clearly flocked to the album, which includes intimate slice-of-life songs that have become the hallmark of Darin & Brooke Aldridge.

"Combining tradition and innovation, Darin & Brooke bring together the best of both worlds with undeniably strong musicianship and vocals alongside edgy melodies and song selection meant for a new and wider audience."
- Dan Harr, Music News Nashville

As The South begins to thaw, the Darin and Brooke Aldridge band continues on with its 2015 tour. For more information on Darin & Brooke visit: www.darinandbrookealdridge.com

Charlestown, IN -- 9-Time IBMA Fiddle Player of the Year Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper are proud to announce "Fiddlin' Joe," the first single from their Compass Records release, On Down the Line, has reached #1 on the National Bluegrass Survey's Top 30 Songs chart for March. "Fiddlin' Joe" was written specifically for the band by Mark "Brink" Brinkman, a 2014 nominee for IBMA's Songwriter of the Year award. Additionally, On Down the Line has spent six months on the Top 15 Albums chart and is #8 for March.

Lauded as Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper's best album to date, On Down the Line features fourteen tracks that showcase the band's rich instrumental blend and tight, three-part vocal harmonies with tunes that span from straight-ahead bluegrass (“Fiddlin’ Joe," "Orange Blossom Special") to melodic, heart-felt songs such as "Just Call Me Crazy" and the imaginative reworking of the traditional "Jack O'Diamonds" as a solo fiddle tour de force. The album's second single, "Too Late For Goodbyes," has made its debut on the March Top 30 Songs chart at #29.

With the success of the band, it is no surprise they have been invited to headline the Imagine Awards, an annual event produced by Rauch, Inc., a New Albany, Indiana based non-profit organization that supports people with disabilities and their families in nine area counties. Although Cleveland shies away from the notion that he is an inspiration to others, he is still humbled to be part of such a great event. "Being unable to see is my normal, I've never known anything different," states Cleveland. "Still, I realize I've been able to accomplish a lot and I am honored to bring my band to the Imagine Awards and show people with disabilities that they, too, can accomplish anything they set their mind and heart on." Cleveland is featured in this week's edition of the News And Tribune's So In Magazine with an interview about his involvement in the Imagine Awards.

The Imagine Awards will take place on Saturday, March 7th in Elizabeth, Indiana. More information on the awards can be found at www.rauchinc.org. For more on Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, visit www.flamekeeperband.com

The Music Educator Award to be presented by The Recording Academy and the Grammy Foundation was established to recognize current educators (kindergarten through college, public and private schools) who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education and who demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools.

Each year, one recipient will be selected from 10 finalists and will be recognized for his/her remarkable impact on students' lives. The third annual winner will be flown to Los Angeles to accept the award and receive a $10,000 honorarium at the Special Merit Awards Ceremony & Nominees Reception honoring recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Trustees Award and Technical GRAMMY® Award during GRAMMY Week 2016. The winner will also attend the 58th Annual GRAMMY Awards® ceremony, and a range of GRAMMY Foundation events. The nine additional finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium, and the schools of all 10 finalists will receive matching grants. The honorariums and grants provided to the finalists and schools are made possible by the generosity and support of the GRAMMY Foundation's Education Champions Converse, Disney Performing Arts, Ford Motor Company Fund, Journeys, and Microsoft.

The GRAMMY Foundation was established in 1988 to cultivate the understanding, appreciation and advancement of the contribution of recorded music to American culture. The Foundation accomplishes this mission through programs and activities that engage the music industry and cultural community as well as the general public. The Foundation works in partnership year-round with its founder, The Recording Academy, to bring national attention to important issues such as the value and impact of music and arts education and the urgency of preserving our rich cultural heritage.

In recognition of the significant role of teachers in shaping their students' musical experiences, The Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Foundation partnered to present their first Music Educator Award in 2014. Open to current U.S. music teachers in kindergarten through college, the third annual Music Educator Award will be presented at the Special Merit Awards Ceremony & Nominees Reception during GRAMMY Week 2016. For more information about the Music Educator Award, please visit GRAMMYMusicTeacher.com. For more information about the Foundation, please visit www.grammyfoundation.org. For breaking news and exclusive content, please like "GRAMMY in the Schools®" on Facebook, follow the GRAMMY Foundation on Twitter (@GRAMMYFdn) and join us on Instagram (@GRAMMYFdn).

Applications for the third annual Music Educator Award™ are currently online; to nominate a teacher, visit GRAMMYMusicTeacher.com. The deadline to nominate is March 15, 2015. The award is open to current U.S. music teachers, and anyone can nominate a teacher — students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members, school deans, and administrators. Teachers are also able to nominate themselves. Nominated teachers will be notified and invited to fill out an application.

The Music Educator Award application process will adjust each year to allow the broad array of effective teaching styles and methods used in the discipline to be recognized and awarded.

Jared Cassedy of Windham High School in Windham, N.H., was announced as the recipient of the 2015 Music Educator Award presented by The Recording Academy® and the GRAMMY Foundation®. Nine other music teachers from nine cities across eight states were finalists for the award. In total, more than 7,000 initial nominations were submitted from all 50 states.

Nashville, TN -- On May 12, 2015, Della Mae will release their second full-length set for Rounder. Della Mae expands upon the musical achievements of the group's widely acclaimed, Grammy-nominated 2013 breakthrough album This World Oft Can Be, which established the multi-talented female combo, which features Celia Woodsmith on vocals and guitar, Kimber Ludiker on fiddle and vocals, Jenni Lyn Gardner on mandolin and vocals, and Courtney Hartman on guitar, banjo and vocals, as a potent musical force.

With a sensitive yet assertive approach that's steeped in tradition yet firmly rooted in the present, the four versatile instrumentalist/vocalists create vibrantly original music that conveys the band's expansive musical vision with timeless lyrical truths and an unmistakably contemporary sensibility that places them alongside such roots-conscious young acts as the Avett Brothers, Punch Brothers, the Lumineers, and Hurray for the Riff Raff.

Della Mae finds the foursome embracing a fresh set of musical challenges with eleven compelling new tunes, including original compositions "Boston Town," "Rude Awakening" and "For the Sake of My Heart,” as well as vivid, insightful readings of the Rolling Stones' classic "No Expectations" and the Low Anthem's haunting "To Ohio," which showcase the quartet's world-class musicianship and deeply expressive harmonies, as well as Celia Woodsmith's subtly commanding lead vocals. Mandolinist Jenni Lyn Gardner and guitarist Courtney Hartman also step up to the mic to take memorable lead-vocal turns on "Good Blood" and "Long Shadow," respectively.

Della Mae's boundary-pushing direction is the product of the musicians' fortuitous collaboration with producer Jacquire King, an iconoclastic sonic visionary who's won Grammy awards for his work on such landmark albums as Tom Waits' Mule Variations, Norah Jones' The Fall, Buddy Guy's Blues Singer, and Kings of Leon's Only by the Night.

The producer's talent for capturing creative chemistry and spontaneous moments of inspiration proved to be an ideal match for Della Mae's vocal and instrumental skills, which were augmented on the album sessions by noted standup bassist Mark Schatz and Elephant Revival frontwoman Bonnie Paine, who contributes percussion and musical saw on several tracks. The album was recorded at Nashville’s storied Sound Emporium, and mixed at the LBT/Blackbird Studios.

Lebanon, TN -- Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® and multi-GRAMMY Award nominated duo Dailey & Vincent announce the upcoming CD release of Dailey & Vincent - ALIVE! In Concert, which will be available April 27, exclusively at all 634 Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® locations and online at crackerbarrel.com. This is the first live album for the “Rockstars of Bluegrass,” who have released two previous albums through the Cracker Barrel exclusive music program. It will retail for $11.99.

Featuring 15 songs, Dailey & Vincent - ALIVE! In Concert was recorded live during a performance at the Hylton Performing Arts Center, located on the Prince William campus of George Mason University in Manassas, Virginia. The show celebrates the best of America, including its music, its men and women in uniform, and its soaring spirit.

In addition, the Dailey & Vincent - ALIVE! In Concert DVD will be available exclusively at all Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® locations and on Cracker Barrel’s website for a limited time beginning April 27, before being made available at other retail outlets. Along with the live performance, the DVD also features four documentaries about the duo offering almost two hours of bonus content. Viewers will also be treated to a rousing finale accompanied by a 50-person orchestra and 100-person chorale.

“We are so happy to be partnering with Cracker Barrel once again,” said Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent. "Our fans have been asking us for a live album and DVD for a long time. We are so excited to finally bring them this amazing album and DVD! This one is for our loyal fans, both old and new."

The live concert performance, which made its broadcast debut on presenting station Nashville Public Television (NPT) Dec. 17, 2014 and generated many contributions to the station, will be broadcast to over 62 percent of the country on public television stations nationwide over the next two years, thanks to the underwriting of Cracker Barrel Old Country Store and other sponsors.

“It is always exciting to have a new album from Dailey & Vincent to offer our guests,” said Cracker Barrel Marketing Manager Julie Craig. “Cracker Barrel believes in good quality family entertainment, and we are proud to help underwrite Dailey & Vincent’s television special for public broadcasting stations around the country.”

Dubbed by CMT as the "Rockstars of Bluegrass," the Dailey & Vincent duo has been hailed throughout the music industry as one of the most exciting, reputable and elite Bluegrass bands in America. They have received numerous awards and nominations for their uniquely contagious and riveting music, including: three GRAMMY nominations, 14 International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Awards (including three Entertainer of the Year Awards, three Vocal Group of the Year Awards and one Album of the Year Award) and four Dove Awards (including the Bluegrass Album of the Year Award and Bluegrass Song of the Year Award.)

2014 was a record year for Dailey & Vincent with a GRAMMY nomination for Bluegrass Album of the Year, a first-time performance at Carnegie Hall in June, their Second Dailey & Vincent Festival in Denton, NC in September, and their very first headlining cruise (which sold out and set sail February 14, 2015).

Prior to forming the duo in 2007, both Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent were already seasoned veterans in the Bluegrass world, having garnered great personal success. A four-time IBMA Vocalist of the Year Award winner, Dailey sang and performed with groups such as Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver. Vincent has accumulated five GRAMMY Awards, has been voted Bluegrass Bass Player of the Year four years in a row (2009-20012), and is a former, ten-year band member for the GRAMMY Award-winning Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder. Both have performed alongside famous acts such as Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris and more. The duo performs over 120 shows per year with an 85% sell-out rate in the United States and presently resides at No. 34 on Pollstar’s “Concert Pulse.”

Dailey and Vincent will hold their 2016 WaterFest Cruise on Feb. 14-20, 2016. The cruise to the Western Caribbean will feature performances from Dailey & Vincent, Ricky Skaggs, Jimmy Fortune, and more. The first 200 passengers to register for the cruise will get a free one-day general admission pass to the Third Annual Dailey & Vincent LandFest (Sept. 17-19, 2015 in Denton, NC). For cruise tickets reservations, call (844) 233-3393. For more information on LandFest, including performers, ticket information, and more, visit www.daileyandvincent.com.

Nashville, TN -- Available March 24 is the brand-new all-Gospel release from Feller and Hill, I Firmly Promise You, on the Tommy Hillpicker Record label. For DJ's wishing to have a promotional hard copy, simply go email info@fellerandhill.com with your name and address. The new release will be available to purchase at www.fellerandhill.com, Amazon, ITunes and for DJ downloads at Airplay Direct. As always, Feller and Hill include a wide variety of stylings on this album, including traditional Bluegrass-Gospel, Southern-Gospel, Hymns, and some brand-new material.

The first single to be released from I Firmly Promise You, will be a song, written by Ruby Moody, titled "Walking My Lord Up Calvary's Hill". What makes Feller and Hill's version unique is the vocal collaberation with "The Boys From Indiana". Through some innovative studio work, you'll hear Feller and Hill singing along with Aubrey Holt's and Harley Gabbard's vocals, which were laid down some thirty years earlier, when they recorded their version of the song.

You may just get chills when you hear the resulting harmonies. Tom is the nephew of Aubrey and Harley and Chris grew up as one of the Boys From Indianas' biggest fans. They are both very excited to have this opportunity to appear on a recording together with them.

I Firmly Promise You will be the first release on the Tommy Hillpicker Record label. Feller and Hill have opened their new label, using the knowledge, resources, and momentum they gained while working on their first two projects with Blue Circle Records, which has ceased operations after the loss of Miss Dixie Hall. Due to the success of their first two projects, calls are already coming in from other artists interested in working with Tommy Hillpicker Records.

If you like a mix of Traditional Gospel, Southern Gospel, Bluegrass-Gospel, and Country-Gospel, then you'll love the new release from Feller and Hill, I Firmly Promise You.

North Adams, MA -- FreshGrass, Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art’s (MASS MoCA) 3-day bluegrass and roots music festival, announces the first round of bands set to play its annual September festival, with headliner the Punch Brothers, a late-night hoedown by Leftover Salmon, Jerry Douglas presents Earls of Leicester, I’m With Her featuring Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz, and Aoife O’Donovan, festival favorite Alison Brown, Peter Rowan, the Lost Bayou Ramblers, Flatt Lonesome, Darol Anger’s Mr. Sun, Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem, and 2014 FreshGrass Award winners Twisted Pine and Quiles & Cloud. FreshGrass, to be held on September 18-20, 2015, features bluegrass traditionalists and trailblazers on four stages and throughout every nook and cranny of its 28-building, 16-acre campus.

FreshGrass, nominated for “Event of the Year” last year by the International Bluegrass Music Association, is three days of concerts, pop-up performances, instrument and industry workshops, and a bounty of Berkshire harvest-season food and spirits. The event takes over the entire museum campus, including all courtyards, galleries, and spaces in between. Berklee College of Music’s American Roots Music Program and Happy Traum’s Homespun Tapes return to lead workshops in which festival-pickers can fine-tune fiddling skills and learn from bluegrass veterans about the inner workings of songwriting, producing, and marketing music. No Depression, the leading online community for roots music returns, as does The Fretboard Journal, the boutique magazine for guitar, mandolin, and stringed instrument players. Top it all off with Compass Records’ pop-up record store, luthier workshops, and a group of entrepreneurial start-ups called FreshSeeds, and FreshGrass 2015 is off to its best start yet – and it’s only February.

“The FreshGrass community has really taken root over the past three years. From banjo and fiddle workshops to downtown camping, late-night dance parties, and pop-up performances in the galleries, everyone seems to find a special niche here,” says MASS MoCA Director Joseph Thompson. “And that doesn’t even touch on the great music itself, which is some of the most exciting new work being made and played today.”

The festival continues to promote fresh takes on the tradition of bluegrass music with the growth of its FreshGrass Award, a music contest judged by industry professionals, featuring up to $25,000 in cash prizes and recording time at Compass Records’ studio in Nashville for the winners. The annual categories have been expanded to include band, duo, and banjo, and now the fiddle category, new for FreshGrass 2015. FreshGrass Award-winners also earn a main-stage slot at the 2016 FreshGrass festival. Grammy Award-winner banjoist Alison Brown returns to judge the contest for the third year, saying, “I grew up playing banjo in a hot bed of banjo contests… and I think that’s an important part of the tradition because it gives young players a chance to get on stage and test out their tunes, and get their legs on stage; you get used to playing in front of an audience. It was huge for me, and so I was really happy to see FreshGrass incorporate that aspect into the festival.” The FreshGrass Award is funded by the newly formed FreshGrass Foundation, whose mission is to promote, produce, and create innovative grassroots music.

In addition to the contest, workshops, and the festival’s legendary jam sessions — during which professional musicians pick and play among the crowd, many of whom bring their own instruments — festival events include children's programming and camping, located a short distance from MASS MoCA’s campus. Admission to MASS MoCA's galleries is included with a festival pass, and festival-goers enjoy dozens of pop-up concerts set among dramatically scaled exhibitions of contemporary art.

Advance 3-day adult tickets are now available for $93, with free admission for kids under six. MASS MoCA members receive a 10% discount on festival ticket prices. Single-day tickets may be offered closer to the event, as space allows. FreshGrass details will be updated on the festival website, FreshGrass.com, and on Facebook at FreshGrass Festival. FreshGrass is held rain or shine.

MASS MoCA is one of the world's liveliest (and largest) centers for making and enjoying today's most important art, music, dance, theater, film, and video. Hundreds of works of visual and performing art have been created on its 19th-century factory campus during fabrication and rehearsal residencies, making MASS MoCA among the most productive sites in the country for the creation and presentation of new art. More platform than box, MASS MoCA strives to bring to its audiences art experiences that are fresh, engaging, and transformative.

During the winter and spring, MASS MoCA's galleries are open 11am to 5pm every day except Tuesdays. The Hall Art Foundation’s Anselm Kiefer exhibition reopens April 15, 2015. Gallery admission is $18 for adults, $16 for veterans and seniors, $12 for students, $8 for children 6 to 16, and free for children 5 and under. Members are admitted free year-round. For additional information, call 413.662.2111 x1 or visit MassMoCA.org. Tickets are available online here.

An intimate evening of music with The Fabulous Bagasse Boyz . . . sounds heavenly doesn’t it. Well your dreams have come true due to the diligent efforts of Robert and Dianne Calmes. They have developed the Calmes House Concerts and it is the perfect way to listen to music. They have had many talented acts from the area such as Smithfield Fair and The Fugitive Poets and touring acts like Ben Bedford and Brother Sun. The Fabulous Bagasse Boyz had the honor of being the first performers to do the Calmes House Concerts and amazingly enough, they kept it up after that and got better and better.

Once upon a time, many years ago in the early 1950's, in four very divergent parts of the country, four lovely young ladies each gave birth to a bouncing baby boy. These mothers were filled with joy and hope for the future for their young offspring. But in 2002, these mothers' hopes were dashed when the grown boyz converged together to form an alliance. There was much consternation from all corners as this axis of goobers became The Fabulous Bagasse Boyz. Hans "Fritz" Mayers on banjo and mandolin, Willi Sager on bass, Van Glynn on fiddle and Rex Hall on guitar came together with the sole purpose of humiliating the musical world with their slip-shod musicianship and annoying arrangements. This was their destiny.

The Boyz have released a couple of albums and one, Not 'Yer Daddy's Bluegrass released in 2010, had one particulary catching song on it, "Day After Day" that has something to do with getting up early, watching the chickens looking for something to do and, drinking that first cup of java.

The Boyz will be back for an encore presentation at Calmes House Concerts on Saturday, March 21st starting at 7:00 PM. They are located in Baton Rouge and the cost is $15 per person. You can make reservations, get seating information and directions at calmeshouseconcerts@gmail.com. We will play for about 2 hours with an intermission in the middle. We hope to see old friends and make new ones. Don’t miss out on this special event.

And in other upcoming events, The Boyz will be at the Lagniappe Dulcimer Fete in Port Allen on March 12 and will close out the seasonal concerts at the Old Feed Store Music Series at Marsolan’s Feed Store in Covington on May 30th.

The Fabulous Bagasse Boyz are just fun to listen to. They've produced some fun bluegrass music that isn't over-polished and is more down-home style. The kind of bluegrass music I enjoy. Don't take the Boyz too seriously or you just might hurt yourself. In fact, it is time to get serious and throw all seriousness aside. This is the kind of music your mama told you about and told you to avoid so, you know its just what you've looking for.

Owensboro, Ky. -- The International Bluegrass Music Museum will kick off the 2015 season of their benefit concert series on Thursday, February 26th with the Illinois based bluegrass group, Old Salt Union. What makes Old Salt Union so special is their ability to stretch the boundaries of traditional bluegrass music by incorporating in-depth musical arrangements, a catchy hook, and an uncanny pop sensibility. They truly are a new generation of bluegrass in the industry.

Old Salt Union is known for playing music by their own set of rules. While the men who make up this group are not complete rebels, they are certainly thinking about the future of music. They find influence in the bluegrass roots of The Del McCoury Band and Sam Bush, but also draw inspiration from Bill Evans, Danny Elfman, Punch Brothers, and many more talented musicians.

Established in May of 2012, Old Salt Union recorded their debut album “Western Skies” in October of the same year. While their album was independently released in March of 2013, it was clear by the overwhelmingly positive response that their fan base would grow rapidly in the following months. In January of 2014, Old Salt Union began exclusively touring the country, so that their reach would expand, exposing more fans to their type of complex, high energy, and well-executed sound.

With the release of their second studio album, “Bridge”, in August of 2014, Old Salt Union tells a tale of transition. The two years that they have been together has shown that they are a force to be reckoned with in the world of music. They have established solid roots, winning the STL Riverfront Times “Best Bluegrass Band” in 2013 and “Best Country Band” in 2014, all while traveling the country. They have made appearances at the John Hartford Memorial Festival, Wakarusa, LouFest, and Yonder Mountain String Band’s Harvest Festival, sharing the stage with The Del McCoury Band, Sam Bush, Greensky Bluegrass, Ricky Skaggs, and more – and no ma’am, they ain’t stopping yet.

“We first heard Old Salt Union play at Henderson’s Bluegrass in the Park last August. We haven’t missed a chance to hear them in Evansville and Nashville. They pull you right up onto the edge of your seat – if not all the way to your feet as they play. Although they play the standard Bluegrass instruments, they take it teasingly to the edge and back again with syncopation, melodies, and mastery of their strings. They are coming right here to Owensboro on February 26 at the Bluegrass Museum. Don’t miss a chance to hear this up and coming group in your own back yard. There’s a bonus. After you hear them, their music will stay in your head for days!” – Dr. Roger Humphrey, Museum Supporter.

Tickets are available online (www.bluegrassmuseum.org) or by calling the museum – 270-926-7891. Doors open at 6:30 pm CST, the show will begin at 7:00 pm.

Monies raised from this concert series help the museum continue their efforts to preserve and honor the legacy of bluegrass music including music educational programs, general museum operating expenses, the Video Oral History Project (VOHP) and artifact collection efforts.

This special concert takes place Thursday, February 26th and doors open at 6:30 -- show starts at 7:00 at the International Bluegrass Music Museum, 117 Daviess St. Owensboro, KY. Tickets are just $12.50 each. A cash bar will be available. Beer and wine are not included with your ticket purchase.

Oak Hill, NY – Upstate New York might be knee-deep in snow right now, but plans are already in place for this summer's world famous Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival held each year in the Catskill Mountains. This event is widely known as a Who's Who of Bluegrass Music. Music seekers come from all over the United States and several countries to experience the annual gathering of music, learning, family & friends. Many personal reunions for artists, fans and pickers happen at the beloved and historic event. This year's four-day festival takes place July 16 through 19, 2015 on the picturesque Walsh Farm in Oak Hill, New York. Early camping opens on Wednesday, July 15, with special events for those with full festival camping tickets.

And the all-star lineup doesn’t stop there. The festival also features a wide range of intriguing talent including Michael Daves & Friends (Noam Pikelny, Brittany Haas, Mike Bub and others); Mr Sun with Darol Anger, Grant Gordy, Joe Walsh and Ethan Jodziewicz; red hot guitar and mandolin duo, Billy Strings & Don Julin; I Draw Slow from Ireland; California’s Front Country; Wood&Wire from Austin, Texas; Boston’s Lonely Heartstring Band; DC’s Love Canon; the Celtic dervish-like Scythian; Albany’s own Jim Gaudet & The Railroad Boys; Americana artists, The Stray Birds; Twisted Pine; dance instructors John Kirk and Trish Miller; and the youngest band to play Grey Fox, The Zolla Boys, along with long-time host band Dry Branch Fire Squad. Still more bands will be announced as they are confirmed, including several Grey Fox Emerging Artist Showcase bands from around the country.

Grey Fox is a homecoming festival. Many friends get together and see each other only at this event. The rest of the year, they are miles, even oceans, apart. Month after month, season after season, they look forward to this special meeting of a family of fans in a special place. That's part of the magic of Grey Fox,"
-- Bob Cherry of Cybergrass.com

There is more than enough fine entertainment to keep festival-goers satisfied all weekend, along with plenty of educational opportunities. Grey Fox is very much about learning: learning to play better, learning to sing harmony, learning to jam, learning to dance, learning yoga and meditation. The Grey Fox Bluegrass Academy for Kids is a free music camp of about 120 youth who learn to play, sing and perform bluegrass during the festival. The academy culminates in a main stage performance on Sunday afternoon. Enriching learning activities abound from opening day through the weekend at multiple tents and stages around the grounds.

Music, hands-on workshops, dance classes, jamming lessons, kids activities, and more can be enjoyed all weekend long at the festival’s many venues—High Meadow, Catskill, Creekside, Family, Slow Jam, and Grass Roots stages. There truly is something for everyone, young and old, musician and non-musician alike. An extensive array of high quality crafts, clothing, imports, artwork, instruments, recordings, services, supplies, sponsor products, festive and ethnic foods, and beverages are for sale in two vendor areas.

New this year on Sunday will be a special benefit concert to help feed hungry families in Greene County. The benefit, called A Taste of Grey Fox, will feature several artists, many collaborations and musical surprises. There will be no tickets sold on Sunday. Instead, admission for A Taste of Grey Fox will be a donation of non-perishable pantry items that will be collected at the gate. Grey Fox is pleased to be partnering with Community Action of Greene County, Inc., the anti-poverty agency that distributes food and supplies to food banks in several communities. Grey Fox invites residents and visitors alike to enjoy Sunday’s musical performances and help feed needy families. Suggested non-perishable pantry items are listed at http://cagcny.org/food-donations/

Grey Fox sells only 4000 full festival tickets, with camping included. ‘Streets’ in the temporary campground are named for Bluegrass Hall of Famers such as Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley, Earl Scruggs, Lester Flatt, Doc Watson, and many others. To add excitement, all campers are in the running for the Best Campsite Award, given to the most creative, greenest campsite with the smallest footprint. The prize? A pair of tickets to next year’s festival. Around the grounds, spirited jam sessions happen spontaneously at all hours, day and night, with many of the festival’s performers often joining in.

Mary Tyler Doub has produced Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival (and its predecessor, Winterhawk) since 1985. When asked what keeps her excited about the show year after year, she explains, ”I have two children and Grey Fox is my third. As with my sons, I have watched the festival develop into an event that I’m very, very proud of.” She continues, “It’s thrilling to see bluegrass evolve as it has and to see artists of each generation get better and better. Presenting fresh new talent along with bluegrass music’s top stars to our enthusiastic fans is truly rewarding. I can’t wait to do it again!”

Kimber Ludiker, founder of Grammy-nominated all-female Della Mae says of Grey Fox, “Although the lineup alone WOULD be enough to make it a favorite festival for any music seeker, Grey Fox is more than that. It is the ultimate festival experience—the bluegrass heaven of a campground, the all-night pickin', the inspiring staff, the special musical collaborations, and the general magical atmosphere that is a result of all of these things. For Della Mae, it's like coming home to a family. You have to experience it to know, and once you know, you won't want to miss it.”

Hiltons, VA -- Tim and Debbie Grim Yates have combined their lives, amazing talents, and deep musical roots to forge one of the country’s most accomplished and entertaining music groups on the scene today. Acoustic Heritage is the culmination of several generations of singers and musicians who performed old time and bluegrass music while passing on the love of that unique Appalachian Mountain sound to the generations that followed after them. Whether it’s the sound of Debbie’s amazing clawhammer banjo, her lively fiddle, or Tim’s mesmerizing guitar, the music of Acoustic Heritage always leaves an audience wanting to hear more.

Saturday, February 28th, 2015, at 7:30 p.m., the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert of traditional bluegrass music by Acoustic Heritage – the Tim and Debbie Yates Family Band. Adult admission to the concert is $10, $1 for children 6 to 11, and under age 6 free.

The Yates Family Band originated from Acoustic Heritage – Tim and Debbie Yates. Their children – Molly (14) and Sadie (12) – have been performing on stage ever since they could hold an instrument. Tim played in a family band called John Yates and the Yates Brothers from Taylors Valley. Debbie also played in a family band called the Konnarock Critters. Both have been performing for over 25 years. Joining the Yates Family at the Carter Fold will be Debbie’s brother Brian from the original Konnarock Critters. Tim’s nephew, Jordan Yates (who has also played his whole life with various bands) will also be joining them. Fold audiences will remember the Konnarock Critters. They performed many times at the Carter Fold.

Debbie Grim Yates grew up in a family of musicians, so it’s only natural that she would begin playing an instrument at a very young age. Before long she had mastered a dynamic, precise clawhammer banjo style that is distinctly her own as well as the ability to saw out a barn-burner on the fiddle. Her soft, yet amazingly powerful voice has a special quality that simply soothes the soul as you listen. Debbie really loves to perform, and her many years of picking and singing with the Konnarock Critters has helped mold her into one of the genre’s most entertaining peformers.

Tim Yates has played both guitar and standup bass for over 20 years with his family band the Yates Brothers as well as some of the biggest names in bluegrass. He has toured the United States with Wyatt Rice and Santa Cruz, the Jimmy Goudreau Bluegrass Unit, and the Tony Rice Unit. Tim is an outstanding singer with a honey-smooth voice that perfectly compliments wife Debbie’s voice, but what really sets him apart from other performers is his mastery of the guitar. Any time Tim Yates takes a guitar break, you had better look away because you’re likely to fall under the spell of the amazing sights and sounds of his guitar work.

For some of the best old time music you’ll ever hear, don’t miss Acoustic Heritage with special guest Brian Grim at the Carter Family Fold! For additional information on the group, check out their web site – http://www.acousticheritage.com/. The Konnarock Critters played many times at the Carter Fold through the years, and it will be a pleasure to welcome Debbie and Brian back along with Debbie’s family. The Fold is steeped in musical family heritage, and the Yates and Grim families are part of that tradition.

Carter Family Memorial Music Center, Incorporated, is a nonprofit, rural arts organization established to preserve traditional, acoustic, mountain music. For further information on the center, go to http://www.carterfamilyfold.org. Shows from the Carter Family Fold can be accessed on the internet at http://www.carterfoldshow.com.

Carter Music Center is part of the Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail. You can visit the Crooked Road Music Trail site at http://thecrookedroad.org. Partial funding for programs at the center is provided by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. For recorded information on shows coming up at the Fold, call 276-386-6054. The Fold is on Facebook – page Carter Fold – and Twitter – Twitter @carterfoldinfo. To speak to a Fold staff member, call 276-594-0676.

Nashville, TN -- The premiere opportunity to introduce talent and new music at the International Bluegrass Music Association's (IBMA) annual World of Bluegrass Business Conference comes in the form of "official" showcase performances which help the music industry attendees discover emerging new bands, as well as established bands, with new music or personnel.

In Raleigh, North Carolina this year, each showcase band will perform at least twice during World of Bluegrass Week -- once on a convention center stage and once on a local "Bluegrass Ramble" town venue stage.

Up to 30 showcase artists will be invited for World of Bluegrass 2015, depending on the number of applicants and the qualifications of groups that apply. IBMA showcase artists are chosen in a juried selectionprocess that takes into consideration every applicant's entertainment value, level of professionalism, potential appeal and quality of work. There are generally more than 100 acts who apply every year and the Selection committee is appointed by the IBMA board chairperson.

The IBMA's World of Bluegrass is scheduled for September 29th through October 3rd in Raleigh, North Carolina. Artists are not required to be IBMA members to apply for the showcase opportunity but are required to submit a $25 fee to help defray the selection process costs. If invited to participate as an official showcase artist, there is an additional fee of $500 to offset costs of services and showcase production.

At 7 pm on Saturday February 28 when the WoodSongs Dalton Chapter will feature singer songwriter Kelli Johnson and the VW Boys. Kelli is an incredible singer and talented songwriter and the VW Boys will bring a smile to your face with their entertaining blend of music, magic, and comedy. Proceeds from the concert series will again benefit Providence Ministries. For more information or tickets - www.WoodsongsDalton.com

The award winning songwriter Kelli Johnson has often been compared to Alison Krauss, but she is defining her own style of music. Her songs have been recorded by numerous artists and featured in many regional and national television commercials. Kelli's song Over My Head won Grand Prize in the 2013 Nashville International Summer Songwriting Series and in 2011 she won the Alabama State Texaco Showdown. Kelli has also hosted the regionally acclaimed TV program, Kelli's Acoustic Crossroads, and also serves as the Associate Producer and frequent guest of the Dugger Mountain Music Hall broadcast by Heartland Broadcasting as well as numerous affiliate and independent television stations.

The VW Boys, known for their comedy as well as their music, consist of veteran performers Tim White, Dave Vaught, and "Fat" Albert Blackburn. They have put together a show that appeals to all ages, with a blend of magic, comedy, and string music. The VW Boys have performed at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, The Kennedy Center, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and shared the stage with numerous legendary bluegrass artists. Many people across America also recognize Tim White of the VW Boys as the host of "Song of the Mountains" the nationally syndicated concert series seen on PBS each week.

The 2015 WoodSongs Dalton concert series features emerging and established performers and will be held at Stage 123 on 123 W. Gordon Street in downtown Dalton Georgia. The concert series is sponsored in part by the Downtown Dalton Development Authority and the Dalton Convention and Visitors Bureau.

I think that everyone will agree that the January show was great and that Stage 123 is an excellent venue with the stage, permanent lights, and great sound. Special thanks to Rockbridge Church for allowing us to use the facility and continue the concerts. Best of all the increase space and seating will allow even more people to enjoy the concerts.

Tickets for the 7:00 pm February 28th concert are available at the Dalton Freight Depot Gift Shop, online and at the door. Please note change of venue. Please visit http://WoodsongsDalton.com, email woodsongsdalton@yahoo.com, or call 706-581-8025 for more information.

Providence Ministries is a non-profit organization which serves Dalton / Whitfield County with Christian outreach by offering drug and alcohol rehabilitation as well as operating two homeless shelters, two boys' homes and three thrift stores in North Georgia. Providence opened the area's first and only shelter for homeless women and children a few years ago and they are currently expanding their men's shelter.